Akula attack sub operated in the Gulf of Mexico.

A Russian nuclear-powered attack submarine armed with long-range
cruise missiles operated undetected in the Gulf of Mexico for several
weeks and its travel in strategic U.S. waters was only confirmed after
it left the region, the Washington Free Beacon has learned.

It is only the second time since 2009 that a Russian attack submarine has patrolled so close to U.S. shores.

The stealth underwater incursion in the Gulf took place at the same
time Russian strategic bombers made incursions into restricted U.S.
airspace near Alaska and California in June and July, and highlights a
growing military assertiveness by Moscow.

The submarine patrol also exposed what U.S. officials said were
deficiencies in U.S. anti-submarine warfare capabilities—forces that are
facing cuts under the Obama administration’s plan to reduce defense
spending by $487 billion over the next 10 years.

The Navy is in charge of detecting submarines, especially those that
sail near U.S. nuclear missile submarines, and uses undersea sensors and
satellites to locate and track them.

The fact that the Akula was not detected in the Gulf is cause for concern, U.S. officials said.

Hmmm. I should be surprised but I'm really not. To be quite honest I have a totally different take on this situation. I've been doing a bit more reading on the naval issues of World War 2. I was shocked to learn that besides the US sub force, the US Coast Guard had the most sophisticated sub hunting tools in existence at the time. To be quite honest the Coast Guard could be called the subject matter experts on surface prosecution of undersea threats.

That history has been lost to both the Navy and Coast Guard. Whoever came up with the idea of putting the Coast Guard into the Department of Homeland Security had to be smoking crack. I would have preferred to see them fall under the FBI for domestic work and continue under the Pentagon for wartime issues.

Nevertheless, this is bad news. We are watching two important parts of our naval warfighting capabilities get shit canned in order to give the LCS a reason for being. Minehunting and ASW work. We have to do better.

Akula ii submarines cannot carry long range strategic missiles. The worst it could have done is spy on US naval movements. Just another show of strength from Putin. Russia's submarine fleet is in such disarray and despair that the US has nothing to worry about. Only the Akula is stealthy enough not to be detected, however it has no strategic strike ability. Russia's new generation submarines are basically elongated Akulas with missile silos. Their service has been delayed however so they won't be a threat for a while. The biggest threat to the American military is still a few guys with turbans and sandals, "strappin" aks and a fanatic determination.